* The next Blue Bus session will run MONDAY, APRIL 21-JUNE 30th. The cost is $100 for 10 weeks. Please make a check to Tami Barbour by Monday, April 17th. You will see a sign in sheet when you come in the front door.

 

“You are not on my level!” said one two year old friend to another. She was talking about her puzzle work. In our classroom, friends understand their natural, age appropriate abilities. We encourage them to enjoy the success they experience when they accomplish their work.

And we are always watching closely, gently prodding them along, willing to leap with them to the next level and the next great success story!

Have a great day. –Laurie

Wee Sprouts: Carrots. Breakfast: Cheerios and pear slices. Lunch: buttered whole wheat pasta with red beans and spinach, peas and apples. Snack:  Cottage cheese and fresh mixed fruit.

 

 

Happy Friday!

Here are a few pictures taken throughout the day!

For breakfast, children had cheerios and strawberries/banana combo. Lunch consisted of couscous with cheese, mixed vegetables, and banana. PM snack was strawberries and banana muffins.

Hope everyone has a lovely weekend!

Walt Disney. He fills our classroom bookshelves, music library and Wee Friend’s imagination. Love it or hate it, his stories capture our young friends attention at the first word, or note or reference. Today, Sloane shared her Frozen soundtrack with her friends today.  I don’t think I am exaggerating when I convey that the majority of our singers knew LOTS of the words to MOST of the songs.  It brought them together in a shared experience. They paired off to dance. A few voices rose above the others hitting high notes and low notes.  Interesting vocabulary spilled out of their mouth. Interesting characters (for boys and girls alike) emerged. Walt Disney. In the early childhood classroom, there are many perspectives on the Disney influence and work. Here’s a little bio on the man our kids don’t know how much they love!

http://shs.umsystem.edu/historicmissourians/name/d/disney/

Have a great weekend. –Laurie

Wee Sprouts: Carrots. Breakfast: Cinnamon toast and apple slices. Lunch: Cheesy Cous-Cous, bananas and fresh sweet peppers. Snack: Strawberries and whole milk yogurt.

Good Afternoon!

A couple of housekeeping items:

**We are in need of more plastic bags for dirty diapers. Thanks!

**Just as a reminder, we stop serving breakfast at 9:00 am. If you’re child is in the WWF environment by 9:00, they can help themselves to yummy breakfast. There are certain situations where one child is in the kitchen eating their breakfast which leaves up to seven children in the classroom with only teacher. We love eating our breakfast and proceeding into our day. Thanks for everyone’s understanding.

Water Wednesday filled our morning! It was very soapy which allowed for bubbles to fly everywhere!

Eren filled his duck up with water and watched as it trickled down into the sink.

After we dried ourselves up, friends sat on the carpet as Miss Marty read a few teacher stories.

When our older friends were taking their naps, we got out a variety of blocks! Henri enjoyed shaking his block back and forth making a jingle sound. Tate worked on getting in and out of the basket while Maya filled up the shape house with blocks.

A friend requested the tunnel after naptime. It was Henri’s first time inside the tunnel. He had an absolute ball! Friends followed in his excitement .

For breakfast, children had fresh bread with butter and cinnamon along with strawberries. Lunch consisted of ham slices, cheddar cheese, bread, corn, and banana. PM snack was banana muffins and string cheese.

Have a wonderful evening!

When rhyming becomes the thing of the day,

The Cat in the Hat saves the day.

We read his books and when we do,

We understand RHYMING and our letters too.

And when we see letters we look all around,

And we find that they’re everywhere,

They are up and they are down.

Dr. Seuss is like music

There is rhythm and time

So sometimes we sing him

and count in our minds.

So that was today.

We laughed and we played

We tackled new projects

and talked about rain.

We stamped and we scissored,

We hammered and read.

We’ll eat our yummy lunch…..

and then off we’ll go (some of us) to bed. –Laurie

Wee Sprouts: Carrots. Breakfast: Applesauce and Malt-O-Meal. Lunch: Whole wheat tortillas, ham and cheese, bananas and carrots. Snack: Guacamole and crackers.

 

Good Afternoon!

Between crawling underneath the habitrail, playing with a variety of bouncy balls, and using our sense of touch to feel out sensory circles, our morning was quite smooth and jam packed!

Our fine motor skills went to work as we sat at the table working with waffle blocks. The last couple of times that we worked with them, we were a little fumbled as to what to do with them. However, this time, we were able to put the blocks together with ease!

Of course, Eren asked for a garage to be built.Garages are his favorite thing as of late. With some help, he had his garage made and friends soon participated in his play. They retrieved him a few cars which made the play all that more real. Even if a child doesn’t exactly get something, try and try again. Soon it will click and come together just like our waffle blocks.

Friends got a dose of the lovely air outside! The bikes and cars were the first things that children requested!

Every day we get to go outside, friends are challenged. Our outside area is not flat by any means which allows for variety within our play. We test our balance and coordination as we move down the steps. Our gross motor skills are enhanced as we run down the hills. Each day we grow more and more comfortable in our surroundings.

For breakfast, children had kix and apples. Lunch consisted of soy butter of pita bread, corn, and pears. PM snack was whole grain crackers and raisins.

Have a lovely evening!

 

Housekeeping is one of the favorite learning centers in our classroom.  What exactly IS the value of this detailed, expressive, social and imaginative play? Log on to this site to find out more! http://www.environments.com/media/blfa_files/EIST203.pdf

Today, in housekeeping Marta was selling fruit. We know she was re-enacting a real life experience she had in Africa. When Sloane cuddles her baby, we know SHE is re-enacting a real life experience. They are processing their lives through language, socialization and highly imaginative story telling.

Hope your environment today is stimulating and life-giving!-Laurie

 

Wee Sprouts: Carrots. Breakfast: Whole wheat bagels with cream cheese and pear slices. Lunch:  Peanut butter on whole grain bread, corn and strawberry/bananas. Snack: Buttered wheat bread and strawberries.

Happy First Day of April!

We spent our morning reading stories and crawling/walking around the habitrail. All of the babies love to go to the ladder and look down upon their friends and teachers .

After all the babies went to sleep, Miss Mindy decided to take Eren and Saskia on a walk! It was lovely weather this morning. We bundled up and proceeded to take a walk. We listened with our ears and heard beautiful wind chimes. Our eyes were used as well! Eren spotted birds, squirrels, and many cars! A couple special things we saw were the mail truck and a police car!

By the end of our walk, Eren and Saskia looked ahead as Erens hand was on Saskias back .

Friends continued their outside play in the backyard. We loved the slide today!

Tate came out and joined us for a little while. He is loving the sand box! A whole new sensorial world exists outside.

Lucy showed us a BIG smile as she tried walking to Miss Marty.

For breakfast, children had english muffins with butter and cinnamon along with pears. Lunch consisted of hummus on tortillas, broccoli, and applesauce mixed with pears. PM snack was pretzels and cottage cheese.

Have a great evening!

In the van, on the way from swimming, Tami heard over and over “I can’t wait to tell my mom and dad about……!” Make sure you ask your Wee swimmer what his/her favorite moment was!

 

I’ve had two parents ask me specifics about environmental print. I’ve attached a great article explaining this idea and how we utilize it, in early childhood, for early literacy.

http://www.readingrockets.org/content/edextras/environmental-print_en.pdf

A small group of emerging readers gathered today to continue what we began in large group yesterday: creating alphabet letter book marks. Today, Marta created a space for herself, right in front of our alphabet board so she could reference letters as she created hers.

Later, she joined Elizabeth in sequencing the letters (Literacy FAB K.1.19), continuing to reference the letter board as she worked.

Wee Friends worked together to build ships, work with puzzles and Magna Tiles, create art and act out The Two Little Pigs.

We huffed and puffed as we dressed for this blustery day and huffed and puffed some more as the wind blew us into play! We have loved being outside.

Hope you are enjoying your day. –Laurie

Wee Sprouts: Sweet peppers. Breakfast: Whole wheat toast and bananas. Lunch: Hummus on whole wheat tortillas, Purple Porch organic spinach with Raspberry Vinaigrette and apple sauce. Snack: Cottage cheese and apple slices.

Happy Monday!

Hope everyone had a terrific weekend!

Our Monday started off with a bang. Everyone gathered in the music area this morning. A few friends used xylophones to make music while others chose the drums and piano.

Taters loved his reflection! Maya joined the party later this afternoon. They giggled together as they stood side by side.

FINALLY! We were able to go outside. Yippee!!!!

Friends and teachers loved the weather today that allowed us to see our Wee Friends!

Leo came over to say hi to his brother Henri!

Maya and Henri loved the swing this afternoon with Miss Marty.

The babies had a great first day of exploration outside! There are so many new and interesting things to do and see! Our minds were non-stop.

For breakfast, children had cheerios and strawberries. Lunch consisted of whole grain noodles with marinara sauce and cheese, mixed vegetables, and oranges. PM snack was crackers and raisins.

Have a great evening!